Seal



Dec. .7, 1 937. I H. LEACH 2,101,586

SEAL

Filed March 25, 1937 INVIENTOR. /-/a//:y Le aafi BY flaw. W44,

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 7,1937

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ;2',1o1,5 13e '7 r SEAL Harry Leach, Providence, R. 1. Application March -25, 1931, Serial 'No. 132,961 1 Claiiii. (c1.40-3) 'Ihlsirivefition relates'to-a seal more particularly of the type which-is in band form to encircle some small object, such'for instance as ;a

chicken leg; and this invention has for one of its'objects to provide a seal'which whenattached cannot be removed without destroying it to be replacedby a different seal. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a seal which cannot be tampered with by" some unscrupulous person without detection. 1

"Another objectof the invention isthe provision-f a constructionwhich will be simple-of formation and yet effective in its'holdi'ng qual- -ities so thatthe parts will be secure against tampering or breaking.

A further object of the invention is the utilization of some resiliency of the stock itself for attaching and holding the parts in closed relation.

Withthese and other objects in view, *the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be'inor'e fully' described; and

particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of astrip of material fashioned into the desired form;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the strip as partially bent to closed position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View illustrating the strip in locked position and showing in dotted lines an object which it encircles;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the structure of Fig. 4 cut in half and substantially inverted from the showing in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a still different modification of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a sectional View of the structure of Fig. 6; r

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a still different modification of the invention and similar to Fig. 6.

Seals for marking different objects are desired having such structure as to permit of their easy attachment but preventing their removal or being tampered with or without detection; and in order to formulate such a structure I have fashpart, the tongue being located at a common line of contact between the parts and extending away 7 V by which these advantageous resultsrnay be accomplished: 7

With reference tothe drawing, l0 designates one arcuate section of a strip of material and II 10 another arcuate section, thesebeing formed up from sheet stock bysuitabl'e cutting and. press work; These sections Ill and II are left joined together by a bendableportion I2 which is cut away as at I 3 so as to weaken this point of connection and locate 'a bending pointwhen pressure is applied to the sections. This single slot I3 is merely illustrative, however, of one form of weakening the connection between these sections, as other forms may be had.

, I a The section II is provided with a slot I4 extending laterally across the width of the strip and of a" dimension less than the width of the fstfip s'o as to'terininate inwardly from its marginal edges IS. A notch I6 is formed in the edge II of the slot which is distant from the free end l8 of this section, and a tongue I9 extends from the edge 20 of the slot which is adjacent or closest to the end l8 across the slot I4 and into the notch I6. However, the strip is offset as at 2! so as to position the opposite edges of the slot in different planes and the tongue I9 being carried by the edge of the slot 20 extends in a somewhat different plane than the, portion of the strip carrying the edge I1.

The opposite section II) is reduced at its end portion 22 to provide shoulders 23 at the juncture of the reduced portion 22 and the remainder of the strip of the arcuate section. This reduced portion 22 is of a size to extend through the slot 40 I4 and is provided with a series of holes 24 into any one of which the tongue I9 may extend and lock by reason of its end engaging the edge of the slot 24 or by reason of the tongue passing through the opening 24 so that the portion of the tongue at its juncture with the edge 20 will receive any strains against opening which may exist in the completed locked band. 7

In the closure of this device about the article designed in dotted lines at 25 in Fig. 3 it is merely necessary to bend the portion l2 by pressure on the opposite sections I0 and II with the reduced portion 22 directed to extend through the slot l4. 7 As the reduced portion moves through the slot I4 the end portion of the strip will tilt about the offset by reason of its end engaging the arcuate inner surface of the strip so that the tongue will be moved outwardly against the inner surface of the portion 22 so that as the tongue reaches the openings 24 it will extend into the opening and prevent any retracting or outward movement of the reduced portion through the slot. There being several openings 24 a plurality of encircling sizes may be had. This portion 22 is limited in its inward movement through the slot by reason of the shoulders 23 which will engage the offset 2| and limit the closure of the device into a band of predetermined diameter.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a somewhat different structure. Here the sections In and II are as heretofore provided with a slot l4 and an offset of the stock at 2|, but no tongue is provided at the slot. Rather, the reduced portion 22 is made laterally resilient by reason of a cut out 26 extending longitudinally of this reduced portion and a plurality of ratchet teeth 21 which serve as tongues to perform the locking action are provided on the side edges of this reduced portion. I will refer to these portions 21 generally as tongues hereinafter. These tongues 21 are provided in a series along the opposite sides of the reduced portion 22 and as I close the band of this form with its reduced portion extending through the slot M the portions 28 which carry these tongues on opposite sides of the out out 26 will be forced inwardly by the end edges 29 of the slot l4, and after they pass through the slot will spring outwardly again so that the tongues will engage these end edges, as shown clearly in Fig. 5, and prevent an opening movement of the band due to this interlocking relation.

In Figs. 6 and 7 a still different modification is provided. Here the sections l0 and H are as usual and a slot I4 is provided as illustrated in Fig. 4. In this case instead of the entire width of the strip being offset the stock of the edge I1 is raised up so as to provide awider openingforthe slot for receiving the reduced portion 22. In this case instead of providing a lateral resiliency, as in Fig. 4, the reduced portion 22 is provided with a tongue 30 formed by bending the same backwardly from the end of the reduced portion 22 so that the effective end of this reduced portion is the fold 3| which now is the tip of this end of the section In. This folded back portion 30 is in effect a hook and will flex toward and from the reduced portion 22 by pressure being applied, and is flared outwardly somewhat from the fold 3|. In use, when the folded end 3| is projected through the slot M the tongue 30 will be compressed against the tapered portion 32 of the reduced portion 22 until after its edge 33 passes through the slot 14, whereupon it will again spread outwardly and any tendency to expand the band would be prevented, the parts being locked in the position shown in Fig. 7. It will of course be apparent that additional tongues 30 may be cut from the stock of the member 22, as in Fig. 8, for engagement with the edge of the slot when a smaller encircling size is desired.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the'mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claim.

I claim:

A seal comprising a strip of sheet material bent into substantially circular form, with the end portions of the strip overlapping, an offset extending completely across said strip at a point spaced from the end thereof, a slot in said offset, the other end portion of the band being of a narrowed width to be guided over the outer surface of the band between the slot and the end in entering and passing through said slot, said narrowed end portion being provided with a plurality of notches on its opposite edges to grip the end walls of said slot and secure the strip in band form.

HARRY LEACH. 

